Watch below to see archival footage of the historic Vickers Vimy, which carried the first all-Australian air crew from England to Australia, as part of the 1919 Air Race.
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The aircraft, registration G-EAOU, carried South Australian brothers Sir Keith and Sir Ross Smith along with mechanics Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers from Hounslow Heath Aerodrome to Darwin – via Singapore and Batavia – in December 1919.
The aircraft, dubbed “God ‘Elp All Of Us” by its flight crew, was largely made of wood lined with fabric.
It took the team aboard the Vickers Vimy a total of 28 days to complete their journey, with over 18,000 kilometres travelled.
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To date, the original Vickers Vimy aircraft has been preserved in a purpose-built climate-controlled museum at Adelaide Airport, with the museum currently located near the long-term carpark.